Noncompliance Penalties
To enforce
its laws and regulations, OSHA may impose upon employers notices of de minimis
(i.e., not significant) violations or, in more serious cases, penalties, for
employer violations of workplace safety requirements. Employers generally have
the right to contest the type of citation and the amount of the proposed
monetary penalty.
Types
of Violations
De
Minimis Violations
OSHA is
authorized to issue notices of de minimis violations. A de minimis
violation is a technical violation that does not directly impact health or
safety. These violations occur when the employer has implemented a measure
different from one specified in a standard that has no direct or immediate
relationship to safety or health. OSHA does not impose penalties or issue
citations for these violations.
Violations
Containing Monetary Penalties
More
serious violations generally carry monetary penalties. The amount of a penalty
OSHA may impose depends upon the type of violation committed by the employer. Types
of violations for which
an employer may be cited (in the form of a Notice
of Unsafe or Unhealthful Working Conditions, OSHA-2H Form) include: